Pay-off package



J- E. FREDERICK PAY-OFF PACKAGE May 3-, 1966 Filed June 9, 1964 FIG, 2

INVEN'TO HN E. FREDERICK v/, Z 1, Q40 1 $1 ATTORNEYS United StatesPatent 3,249,320 PAY-OFF PACKAGE John E. Frederick, Muskegon, Mich.,assignor to Anaconda Wire and Cable Company, New York, N.Y., acorporation of Delaware Filed June 9, 1964, Ser. No. 373,700 2 Claims.(Cl. 242137.1)

This invention relates to a pay-ofi package for dispensing wire from aspool contained therein and, more particularly, to a package havingmeans to prevent the fall-01f of the wire from. the spool causingsubsequent entanglement during the pay-off of its content.

Dispensing wire or the like from a spool or reel in a general directionparallel to the axis of the spool and over one end of the spool whilethe spool is held stationary encounters the major problem of wireentanglement and its subsequent breakage. This problem could becontributed by a sudden slack of the wire tension or the lack of uniformwire tension during the pay-off of the wire causing fly-ofi and fall-offof the wire from its place. Due to its physical shape, the problem ofentanglement of wire is particularly acute for Wire dispensing from avertically positioned straight-wound spool commonly used in the industryfor magnet wires. It is, therefore, the principal object of thisinvention to provide a pay-off package that completely overcomes thepresent problem.

Broadly stated, the pay-off package of this invention comprises a spoolcontaining a coil of wire and a container enclosing the spool. Thiscontainer has a substantially cylindrical tubular body with an openingin its curved surface. There is a first end closure at one end of thetubular body for receiving one end of the spool and for positioning thespool concentrically with the container and asecond end closure at theother end of the tubular body which is spaced apart from the second endof the spool. This second end closure has an outlet opening therein toallow the pay-off of the wire over the second end of the spool andsubstantially in the general direction of the axis of the spool. Thepay-off package further contains a restraining strip yieldingly engagingat least a portion of the periphery of the coil of wire through theopening in the cylindrical tubular body. Thereby, the pay-off of theWire is controlled and the fall down and tangling of wire is prevented.

The opening on the curved surface is preferably in the shape of arectangular window with a height being at least equal to a half of theheight of the spool. The width of the window varies depending on thesize of the spool inside the container and the size of the core of thespool. As a general rule, the width of the window along the curvedsurface should be sufiicient so that a strip joining both vertical edgesof the windows will be at least tangent to the core of the spool. Thiswidth enables the restraining strip to provide a proper tension to thecoil of wire during its pay-off until the wire is completely withdrawn.The restraining strip is preferably a transparent plastic film slightlynarrower than the height of the window which serves the dual purpose ofcontrolling the pay off of the wire and simultaneously enables one tovisually inspect the content of the wire. Further to illustrate thisinvention, a specific embodiment is described hereinbelow with referenceto the drawings wherein FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the pay-01fpackage of this invention,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the package partially broken away,

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken from 3-3 of FIG. 2,

and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section showing connections of the restrainingstrip.

Referring to the drawings, the pay-off package 10 has a substantiallycylindrical body 11 with an opening 12 substantially in the shape of arectangular window. The container has an end closure 13 with a recessedcentral portion 17 to receive the end flange of the spool 15. Thereceding central portion 17 positions the spool concentrically with thecylindrical body of the container. A second end closure 18 is providedon the second end of the cylindrical body 11 and spaces apart from thesecond end flanges 19 of the spool. The end closures 18 have an opening20 substantially at the center of the closure direction of the axis ofthe spool 15.

During the pay-off, the wire 16 wound on the spool 15 is withdrawn overthe end flange 19 and thnou-gh the opening 20. The end flange 19 and theend closure 18 are spaced apart at a sufficient distance to prevent thebending of the wire at sharp angles. The flange 19 preferably has smoothround edges or rotatably mounted on the spool to prevent excess abrasionof the wire.

A restraining strip 21, preferably a transparent plastic film such aspolyethylene or polypropylene having a width slightly less than theheight of the window 12, is placed around the periphery of thecylindrical container and in yielding engagement with the coil of wirethrough the window as shown in FIG. 3. The strip is held in its place byelastic means 22, such as shown in FIG. 4, in which the ends of thetransparent film are joined by three rubber loops 22 with hooks 23.

The size of the window opening, as stated previously, depends upon thesize of the spool and the size of core 24. Advantageously, the width ofthe window 12 is sufficiently wide so that the chord 25 joining thevertical edges 26 and 27 will at least be tangent to core 24 of spool15.

It is advantageous to provide an even wider window so that a sufiicienttension of the strip will be imparted on the wire at all times. Theheight of this window should be at least one-half the height of thespool. I find it to be advantageous to use a window height about /3 tothe height of the spool. With such a height, a restraining strip has asufiicient width to engage the major transverse section of the coil ofwire on the spool. The space from the top of the fil mto top fringe 19of the spool is not engaged by the film. I find a little slack developedin this area is useful to allow the Wire to get over the flange onstarting up and will not'hinder subsequent pay-off.

vA typical package of this invention with a spool of wire 12 inches inheight has a container measured about 17 inches in height and 11 /2inches in diameter. The rectangular window on one side of the curvedsurface placed about inch from the bottom of the container is 8 /2inches high and the length of the arc of the opening is about 12 inches,providing a chord joining the vertical edges of the window about 10inches.

I find that by using the pay-off package of this invention the pay-offspeed for the wire can be increased from 1200 feet per rninute to over5000 feet per minute. Furthermore, there is less damage of the wire intransit due to the outer protective container, which provides easyvisual inspection of the spool.

I claim:

1. A pay-off package for dispensing wire from a spool contained thereincomprising:

(a) a spool containing a coil of wire, said spool having a substantiallycylindrical core and two end flanges at its end defining a space forsaid wire,

(b) a container enclosing said spool, said container comprising,

(i) a substantially cylindrical tubular body with a substantiallyrectangular window, said window having a height at least one-half ofsaid 3 4 I spool and a width such that a line drawn across therebycontrolling the pay-off and preventing 'fallthe cylindrical crosssection of said container down and tangling of said wire. from theopposite ends of said window is at 2. A pay-off package of claim 1wherein said restrainleast tangent to said core, ing strip is atransparent plastic. film held around the (ii) a first end closure atone end of said tubular 5 outer periphery of the container with elasticmeans yieldbody for receiving one end of said spool and ingly engagingthe periphery of said coil of wire through for positioning said spoolconcentrically with said Window. said container, and (iii) a second endclosure at the other end of the References Cited y the Examiner tubularbody and spaced apart from the second 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS end ofthe spool, said second end closure having an outlet-opening locatedsubstantially at 2798681 7/1957 Bevenno 242 137'1 the center therein toallow the pay-off of the FOREIGN PATENTS wire over the second end of thespool, and 640967 3/1950 Great Britain (c) a restraining strip having awidth at least one-half 15 the height of said spool surrounding theouter ipe- STANLEY N, GILREATH, Primary Examiner.

riphery of said container and yieldingly enga ing the periphery of saidcoil of wire through said window, LEONARD CHRISTIAN Examiner

1. A PAY-OFF PACKAGE FOR DISPENSING WIRE FROM A SPOOL CONTAINED THEREINCOMPRISING: (A) A SPOOL CONTAINING A COIL OF WIRE, SAID SPOOL HAVING ASUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL CORE AND TWO END FLANGES AT ITS END DEFINING ASPACE FOR SAID WIRE, (B) A CONTAINER ENCLOSING SAID SPOOL, SAIDCONTAINER COMPRISING, (I) A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL TUBULAR BODY WITHA SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR WINDOW, SAID WINDOW HAVIING A HEIGHT ATLEAST ONE-HALF OF SAID SPOOL AND A WIDTH SUCH THAT A LINE DRAWN ACROSSTHE CYLINDRICAL CROSS SECTION OF SAID CONTAINER FROM THE OPPOSITE ENDSOF SAID WINDOW IS AT LEAST TANGENT TO SAID CORE, (II) A FIRST ENDCLOSURE AT ONE END OF SAID TUBULAR BODY FOR RECEIVING ONE END OF SAIDSPOOL AND FOR POSITIONING SAID SPOOL CENTRICALLY WITH SAID CONTAINER,AND (III) A SECOND END CLOSURE AT THE OTHER END OF THE TUBULAR BODY ANDSPACED APART FRTOM THE SECOND END OF THE SPOOL, SAID SECOND END CLOSUREHAVING AN OUTLET OPENING LOCATED SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE CENTER THEREIN TOALLOW THE PAY-OFF OF THE WIRE OVER THE SECOND END OF THE SPOOL, AND (C)A RESTRAINING STRIP HAVING A WIDTH AT LEAST ONE-HALF THE HEIGHT OF SAIDSPOOL SURROUNDING THE OUTER PERIPHERY OF SAID CONTAINER AND YIELDINGLYENGAGING THE PERIPHERY OF SAID COIL OF WIRE THROUGH SAID WINDOW THEREBYCONTROLLING THE PAY-OFF AND PREVENTING FALLDOWN AND TANGLING OF SAIDWIRE.